Department for Transport

Transport for London: Coronavirus

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the (a) details and (b) conditions of the grant and loans provided to Transport for London on 14 May 2020; and if he will make a statement.

Rachel Maclean: Much of the detail of the agreement was outlined in the Written Ministerial Statement laid by the Secretary of State for Transport on Monday 18 May. As is usual with funding letters between the Mayor of London and the Secretary of State for Transport, the letter is not published on the Department for Transport website.

London Underground: Coronavirus

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure the longer-term sustainability of London Underground given the need to preserve social distancing and reduce passenger numbers on public transport due to the covid-19 outbreak.

Rachel Maclean: Government messaging is clear that public transport should only be used when necessary and that social distancing should be followed in stations and on trains. Transport for London, in conjunction with Network Rail where appropriate, have developed station plans and implemented them across the network to manage travel demand. The funding agreement reached with the Mayor of London includes increasing service levels as soon as possible to ensure people can follow social distancing guidelines while on the network, making sure those who have no alternative to public transport can travel safely. As part of the funding agreement reached with the Mayor of London, there will be a broad ranging government-led review of TfL's future financial position and future financial structure.

Transport for London: Finance

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of restoring the direct grant to Transport for London to ensure the longer-term sustainability of that transport authority; and if he will make a statement.

Rachel Maclean: The Government has reached agreement with the Mayor of London on a package of support which will allow Transport for London (TfL) to continue to operate essential services during the COVID 19 outbreak. This funding agreement includes increasing service levels as soon as possible to ensure people can follow social distancing guidelines while on the network, making sure those who have no alternative to public transport can travel safely. As part of this agreement, there will be a broad ranging Government-led review of TfL's future financial position and future financial structure.

Crewe Station

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on the study of the capacity at Crewe Station; and whether that study has made an assessment of the potential future requirements of re-opening the line from (a) Northwich via Gadbrook Business Park, (b) Middlewich and (c) Sandbach to Crewe.

Chris Heaton-Harris: Crewe is already a hub on the existing rail network and more seats will be provided when the new Avanti trains arrive in 2022. The Government has also confirmed its support for the ‘Crewe Hub’ vision, with up to 5-7 HS2 trains per hour stopping. We continue to work with Network Rail, HS2 and local partners towards realising this vision. We recognise that there a number of proposals to increase services to Crewe. Officials continue to liaise with the Cheshire and Warrington LEP on their Strategic Outline Business Case for Mid Cheshire proposal whilst Network Rail is studying the potential interventions required to accommodate additional services.

Bus Services and Railways: Commuters

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how long the average commute to work is by (a) bus and (b) train in (a) Wansbeck constituency, (b) the North East, (c) England and (d) the UK.

Rachel Maclean: The average commute to work distance for employees by (a) bus and (b) train in (b) the North East and (c) England is shown in the table below. DfT do not routinely collect the required data to provide information for (a) Wansbeck constituency and (d) the UK. Average commute (miles) by BusAverage commute (miles) by Train(b) North East5.5N/A(c) England5.422.1 Source: 2009 - 2018 National Travel Survey for English residents travelling in Great Britain

Electric Scooters

Scott Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to (a) announce further details on e-scooter trials, (b) provide information on how local authorities can participate in those trials and (c) bring forward legislative proposals on the use of e-scooters.

Rachel Maclean: The Department is rapidly developing plans for e-scooter trials. We are hosting meeting with local authorities and rental e-scooter providers who may be interested in participating in trials, setting out our proposals. We have also launched a consultation on the rules that would apply during trials. Legislative proposals to enable trials will follow shortly after the consultation closes.

Palace of Westminster: Repairs and Maintenance

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on (a) ensuring the sustainability of and (b) minimising the disruption to transport networks caused by the Restoration and Renewal project on the Palace of Westminster.

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the potential level of disruption to road traffic in central London from construction work carried out on the Restoration and Renewal project of the Palace of Westminster.

Rachel Maclean: Ministers at the Department for Transport have not had any recent conversations with colleagues on the impacts of the Restoration and Renewal project of the Palace of Westminster in regard to transport networks. We would expect the delivery authority appointed to take forward the project to engage with relevant transport authorities and providers on an ongoing basis as plans develop.

River Thames: Jetties

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on encouraging private sector organisations to conduct commerce on the River Thames through the construction of more jetties.

Rachel Maclean: Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London. It would be a matter for the Mayor to determine what types of river boat services might operate on the River Thames.

River Thames: Industry

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to increase the use of the River Thames in the (a) commerce, (b) transport, (c) construction and (d) freight sectors.

Rachel Maclean: Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London. Policy on what types of services operate on the River Thames would be a matter for the Mayor.

Department for Transport: Chief Scientific Advisers

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many meetings he had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser (a) from 1 September to 30 November 2019 and (b) from 1 December 2019 to 29 February 2020.

Chris Heaton-Harris: The Department for Transport draws from a range of scientific advice and expertise, including from the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, the Chief Scientific Advisers in individual Government Departments, and academics and researchers. In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal meetings are not normally disclosed.

Cycling and Walking: Coronavirus

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how the £250 million of funding for rapidly-installed cycling and walking improvements announced by the Government will be distributed to local authorities and on what date local authorities will be able to access that funding.

Chris Heaton-Harris: On the 9th May the Government announced a £2bn package of funding for cycling and walking over the next five years. This includes £250m in the current financial year for quick-win measures to help keep cyclists and pedestrians safe, as well as vouchers for cycle repairs and greater provision for bike fixing facilities. The funding for cycling and walking infrastructure will be provided directly to local authorities, who are best placed to determine and prioritise where it should be spent. Initial funding allocations will be published shortly.

Large Goods Vehicles: Coronavirus

Sir Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2020 to Question 42943 what assessment he has made of the effect of HGVs in the haulage sector being off the road on the financial viability of the sector during the covid-19 outbreak.

Rachel Maclean: The Department for Transport is in regular contact with representatives of the road haulage industry to understand the issues the industry is experiencing as a result of COVID-19. The Department is working with the industry to ensure that the appropriate measures are in place to allow for the continued operation of the road freight sector during the pandemic and to identify barriers to accessing the available Government support schemes. ​

Logistics: Coronavirus

Sir Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2020 to Question 42933, what comparative assessment he has made of the extent of other Governments' support packages for logistics industries; and if he will make a statement.

Rachel Maclean: The Department continues to collect, receive and assess data about the logistics industry. The Government will continue to gather evidence on the impacts of COVID-19 to establish whether any further support for the sector is needed.

Roads: Freight

Sir Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2020 to Question 42934 on Business: Billing, what assessment he has made of the effect of covid-19 on trends in the level of (a) timely payment and (b) non-payment of invoices in the haulage sector.

Rachel Maclean: The Department for Transport is in regular contact with representatives of the road haulage industry to understand the issues that the industry is experiencing as a result of COVID-19. Engagement with the industry suggests that delays in payment from customers is an issue for some hauliers. The Government will continue to gather evidence on the impacts of COVID-19 to establish whether any further support for the sector is needed.​

Roads: Freight

Sir Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2020 to Question 42941 on Roads: Freight, what assessment he has made of the financial sustainability of haulage companies as a result of the covid-19 pandemic.

Rachel Maclean: The Department for Transport is in regular contact with representatives of the road haulage industry to understand the issues the industry is experiencing as a result of COVID-19. The Department is working with the industry to ensure that the appropriate measures are in place to allow for the continued operation of the road freight sector during the pandemic and to identify barriers to accessing the available Government support schemes. ​

Freight: Northern Ireland

Stephen Farry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 May 2020 to Question 39784, what the timescale is for the release of Government funding to support key freight routes between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Kelly Tolhurst: Freight is currently flowing effectively into and across the UK, and the measures we have announced will support this to continue. Starting from 11 May, sixteen routes have been designated as Public Service Obligation routes for a period of up to nine weeks. Three of those routes – Cairnryan-Larne, Cairnryan-Belfast and Heysham-Warrenpoint – are between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. These routes will receive an estimated £5.5 million. The Northern Ireland Executive will contribute 40% of the funding on these routes.

Driving Tests: Coronavirus

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has plans to train additional driving test examiners to help tackle the backlog of driving tests as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

Rachel Maclean: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has suspended most driver testing for up to three months to support the Government’s efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19. The DVSA has a reduced workforce but will continue, as a priority, to make tests available for those whose work is critical to the COVID-19 response, or who work in critical sectors such as health and social care. The DVSA is only using driving examiners who have volunteered to conduct these emergency tests. The DVSA’s driving examiner training and recruitment plans are revised regularly and are based on the current backlog and forecasted demand for driving tests. The DVSA is continually evaluating the current situation and is working closely with key stakeholders from the car, motorcycle and vocational industries to establish how to begin resuming its service of providing driving tests. Driving examiner training and recruitment will be adjusted accordingly to take account of the backlog caused by suspending driving tests, and any future changed in demand for driving tests. Before practical driving tests are reintroduced, the DVSA will inform the driver training industry. This will help candidates prepare and reach the standard of driving needed to pass their test. The DVSA remains committed to resuming testing as soon as it is safe to do so and in line with further Government advice.

Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the number and  proportion of vehicles that were untaxed in each of the last ten years.

Rachel Maclean: The Department for Transport carries out a survey, which since 2011 has taken place every two years, which estimates the rate of vehicle excise duty evasion among vehicles seen on UK roads. The attached table shows the estimated number and proportion of untaxed vehicles in each survey since 2010.



Estimated no of & proportion of untaxed vehicles
(Word Document, 19.75 KB)

Public Transport: Food

Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak, what the scientific basis is for the decision to discourage people from consuming food and drink on public transport.

Kelly Tolhurst: Our guidance is designed to reduce the risk of transmission as far as possible. The science is clear that where people avoid touching their face, they make it less likely they will contract the virus. This is the reason for our advice. We do understand that there are situations where passengers may need to eat or drink – for example if they are feeling faint on a hot day, and this is reflected in our advice.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Post Offices: Closures

Marion Fellows: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many post offices are temporarily closed in each council area of (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) England.

Paul Scully: The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. As such, the number of Post Offices which are temporarily closed across the UK is an operational matter for Post Office Limited. I have asked Nick Read, the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the Hon Member about this matter. A copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Office: Apprentices

Marion Fellows: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much Post Office Ltd paid towards the apprentice levy in each of the last five years.

Paul Scully: The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. As such, the amount paid toward the apprentice levy in each of the last five years is an operational matter for Post Office Limited. I have asked Nick Read, the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the Hon Member about this matter. A copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Postal Services: China

Scott Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he is having with the Universal Postal Union (UPU) on ensuring that businesses in (a) China and (b) other countries do not have an unfair advantage over UK retailers through cheaper postage costs.

Paul Scully: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy represents the UK at the UPU’s Council of Administration. It attended the UPU Extraordinary Congress in September 2019 where an agreement on international remuneration rates for bulky letters and small packets was reached. Under this agreement, the terminal dues chargeable in the UK for deliveries from countries such as China will rise from 2020 onwards at a faster rate than previously approved.

Postal Services: China

Scott Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he is having with Royal Mail on ensuring their bilateral agreements with (a) China and (b) other countries do not provide terms for the international postage of retail goods into the UK that allow businesses in those countries with an unfair advantage over UK online retailers.

Paul Scully: The UK, with its designated postal operator, Royal Mail, is a member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), which sets international remuneration rates. Bilateral agreements with other countries are commercial matters for Royal Mail, and the Government does not play a role in these agreements. Ministers and officials have regular discussions with Royal Mail on postal matters, including international postal services.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Chief Scientific Advisers

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many meetings (a) he and (b) his predecessor had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser (i) from 1 September to 30 November 2019 and (ii) from 1 December 2019 to 29 February 2020.

Amanda Solloway: The Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser ensures that the department’s policies are supported by the best science and engineering advice available by advising senior officials, as well as ministers, on science and engineering matters, and working with the wider community of Chief Scientific Advisers to share good practice and resolve cross departmental problems. The Secretary of State’s predecessor, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Member for South Northamptonshire, did not meet with the Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser from 1 September to 30 November 2019 and from 1 December 2019 to 13 February 2020. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy did not meet with his department’s Chief Scientific Adviser from 13 February to 29 February 2020.

Renewable Energy: Exports

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the level of electricity exported from renewable sources in the UK to Europe via the interconnector.

Kwasi Kwarteng: We do not hold that information as it is not possible to identify the original generation source for electricity exported via interconnectors connecting to other European countries. However, in terms of electricity generated in the UK in 2019, 37.4 per cent came from renewable sources, which was the highest level achieved to date. Total electricity exports from the UK in 2019 were 3.4 TWh.  Source: Section 5 – UK electricity generation, trade and consumption, October to December 2019

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Eritrea: Arrests

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the location of 20 people arrested by the Eritrean security forces in November 2019 in the Mendefera and Adi Quala areas in the Southern Zone of the State of Eritrea.

James Duddridge: We are aware of reports that at least 20 Muslim males, including local businessmen, religious teachers and community leaders, were arrested in Mendefera and Adi Quala on 28 November by Eritrean security forces. It is difficult for diplomatic staff to verify such reports given the lack of free media reporting in Eritrea and Eritrean Government restrictions on internal travel by diplomats.Eritrea remains a priority country for the FCO in our annual human rights reporting, and we will continue to monitor the situation there. We regularly raise our concerns about human rights in Eritrea with their Government and in international fora. On 26 February, the UK's International Ambassador for Human Rights delivered a statement during the 43rd Session of the Human Rights Council expressing concern at continuing human rights abuses; she welcomed Eritrean acceptance of Universal Periodic Review recommendations with an offer to support their implementation, and called for the UN Special Rapporteur to be allowed to visit Eritrea.During visits to Eritrea, the FCO's Head of East Africa Department, in November 2019, and the Home Office International Director, in February 2020, both raised human rights issues with senior members of the Eritrean government, including Freedom of Expression and National Service. In April our Ambassador in Asmara raised the prospect of releasing prisoners given their increasing risk of infection from Covid-19 with the President's chief political adviser, Yemane Gebreab.

Ethiopia: Refugees

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Ethiopian counterpart on that country's change to its asylum policy in January 2020 towards Eritrean refugees.

James Duddridge: The UK Government is concerned about the recent changes in Ethiopia's status determination procedures for asylum seekers. We have sought a dialogue with the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) on its changes so that we can discuss how they will be delivered and the implications for those fleeing from Eritrea and elsewhere. Through our £170 million refugee and migration programme in Ethiopia (2016-2023), the UK is a leading donor to the refugee response in Ethiopia and plays a proactive role in the coordination of the refugee response alongside UN agencies, other donors and the GoE.

Israeli Settlements

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the implications of the proposed annexation of the West Bank for (a) peace in Israel and the Middle East and (b) the future of a two-state solution.

James Cleverly: As we made clear at the UN Security Council remote meeting on the Middle East Peace Process on 20 May, we are concerned by reports that the new Israeli Government coalition has reached an agreement which may pave the way for annexation of parts of the West Bank. The UK position is clear: any unilateral moves towards annexation of parts of the West Bank by Israel would be damaging to efforts to restart peace negotiations and contrary to international law. The UK is committed to making progress towards a two-state solution. We will continue to press Israel and the Palestinians strongly on the need to refrain from taking actions which make peace more difficult.

Human Rights: Finance

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish the amount of funding allocated by his Department to UK human rights organisations and what the (a) subject and (b) campaign category for each of those allocations.

Nigel Adams: The FCO allocated £17.66m to its human rights, democracy and the rules based international system programme work in financial year 2019-2020. Projects included efforts to combat modern slavery; defending the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief; supporting the right of human rights defenders to carry out their work; promoting the development and strengthening of democracy; opposing the death penalty and the use of torture; gender equality; and defending the right to freedom of the media and freedom of expression. Programme funding allocations for financial year 2020-2021 are yet to be confirmed.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Chief Scientific Advisers

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many meetings he had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser (a) from 1 September to 30 November 2019 and (b) from 1 December 2019 to 29 February 2020.

Nigel Adams: Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers have continued to have contact with the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser, and her office, during this period. Most recently I [Minister Adams] met with her on 11 March 2020.

Trade Unions: Coronavirus

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to monitor abuse of trade union rights during the worldwide economic downturn.

Nigel Adams: The UK is aware of and concerned by reports of measures taken by some countries in response to the Coronavirus outbreak that may unduly restrict human rights or have a disproportionate impact on vulnerable or marginalised groups. All States must ensure they respect their human rights obligations in responding to Coronavirus. Through our international engagement, we have made clear that any actions taken which may restrict certain human rights, for example freedom of assembly or association, must be lawful, non-discriminatory, targeted, time-limited, and subject to regular review to ensure they remain strictly necessary as a response to Coronavirus. The UK Government remains committed to standing up for human rights and supports all efforts by the UN to minimise long-term damage to global economies, societies, politics and freedoms.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Hospitals

Matt Rodda: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support UK hospitals during the covid-19 outbreak.

Edward Argar: The Department is supporting the National Health Service (NHS) so that it can help those who need it the most.The establishment of the Nightingale hospitals was an unprecedented response to an unprecedented challenge and they provide extra capacity to manage potential surges in demand due to Covid-19.We have also been greatly strengthened by over 10,000 health professionals who have been passed onto Trusts to deploy; and over 25,000 student nurses and midwives, over 3,000 final year medical students and over 4,000 other health professionals who have started their NHS careers early.The Chancellor has also set out a package of targeted measures which include a £5 billion emergency response fund to support the NHS and other public services. He has since reiterated that whatever resources the NHS needs, it will get.

Coronavirus: Screening

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many Covid-19 testing kits (a) donated and (b) sold by the Government of the People's Republic of China to the UK have been found to be faulty in the last three months.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Firstly, we thank the Chinese government and her companies for all the offers to support our COVID-19 response. On swab tests, we have had two offers of donations, both of which were for kits that had the required CE mark. For all donations of test kits with the appropriate regulatory approval we seek to match the donation to an organisation (typically a National Health Service trust) that has a local need rather than to accept the donation nationally.On lateral flow antibody tests, we have evaluated 14 of the most promising antibody tests from around the world and none of these tests met the requirements set out in the published Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency specification. The tests are not faulty, but not designed for the current phase of the national testing programme in the United Kingdom.

NHS Trusts: Ventilators

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many additional ventilators have been provided (a) in total and (b) to each NHS Trust since 31 January 2020.

Edward Argar: Holding answer received on 27 April 2020



At the start of the COVID-19 outbreak in March there were more than 8,000 mechanical ventilators in hospitals across the United Kingdom. As of 4 May, we have around 10,900 mechanical ventilators available to National Health Service patients. In addition, there are also 6,291 non-invasive ventilators available to the NHS across the UK which were not available before the start of the crisis in mid-March plus a further 73 from the private sector.

Ventilators

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many (a) ventilators and (b) non-invasive ventilators have been delivered to the NHS since 1 March 2020.

Edward Argar: Holding answer received on 29 April 2020



At the start of the COVID-19 outbreak in March there were more than 8,000 mechanical ventilators in hospitals across the United Kingdom. As of 4 May, we have around 10,900 mechanical ventilators available to National Health Service patients. In addition, there are also 6,291 non-invasive ventilators available to the NHS across the UK which were not available before the start of the crisis in mid-March plus a further 73 from the private sector.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to work with the charity and voluntary sector during the covid-19 outbreak pandemic to co-ordinate support for people with (a) arthritis and (b) other health conditions to (i) manage their condition and (ii) get help and advice on medication and treatment.

Helen Whately: Holding answer received on 04 May 2020



On 8 April 2020, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a package of £750 million to support the charity and voluntary sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. This included measures to directly support activity undertaken by organisations as part of the Government’s response to the pandemic, and broader support to enable organisations to continue the important work they undertake every day on behalf of the individuals, communities and sectors they represent.Many organisations have produced advice for people to manage their conditions during the pandemic, and NHS England and NHS Improvement have supported efforts in this area. For example, NHS England and NHS Improvement worked to develop a self-management resource for patients as part of the musculoskeletal leadership group, which also includes the British Orthopaedic Association, the British Society for Rheumatology, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, Versus Arthritis and the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance. Both the resource and details of the Chancellor’s announcement can be found at the following links:www.csp.org.uk/conditions/managing-pain-homewww.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-sets-out-extra-750-million-coronavirus-funding-for-frontline-charities

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Nadia Whittome: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of whether care homes are experiencing difficulties in getting residents with covid-19 taken into hospital.

Helen Whately: Holding answer received on 06 May 2020



NHS England has advised that every COVID-19 patient needing hospital care, including ventilation, has been able to receive it.Guidance on the case definition for COVID-19 and whether the inpatient definition is met (admittance to hospital) can be found online. This advice is purely based on clinical presentation.A letter was sent out to National Health Service organisations and general practitioner practices on 7 April from NHS England and NHS Improvement reminding people of the principles of the NHS Constitution and stressing that even in a time of emergency each person is an individual whose needs and preferences must be taken account of individually. By contrast blanket policies are inappropriate whether due to medical condition, disability, or age.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to scrutinise of governance of care homes during the covid-19 outbreak.

Helen Whately: On 1 May the Care Quality Commission launched its Emergency Support Framework (ESF) as part of its regulatory approach during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the ESF, the CQC looks at governance through assessments of how providers ensure the health and safety of services users; what systems are in place for monitoring the overall quality and safety of care; whether staff can raise concerns; and how they work with system partners.The CQC uses the information it gathers to monitor risk and identify where providers may need extra support to respond to emerging issues and ensure they are delivering safe care.

Coronavirus: Disability

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to tackle the long term effect of the covid-19 lockdown on social isolation amongst disabled people.

Helen Whately: The Government recognises that social distancing and self-isolation are likely to increase the risk of loneliness and mental health issues, particularly for disabled people. We continue to monitor the evidence here in the United Kingdom and internationally.The Government and NHS England are working closely with mental health trusts to ensure those who need them have access to mental health services, maximising the use of digital and virtual channels to keep delivering support to patients. Numerous community volunteering efforts are now operating nationally and we have also set up NHS Volunteer Responders to help support the 1.5 million people in England who are at most risk from the virus.Public Heath England has published guidance on self-isolation and staying at home for everyone in the UK, including for those with mobility issues.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that plans to ease the covid-19 lockdown will not adversely affect (a) staff and (b) patient safety.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The safety of staff and patients remains paramount during the COVID-19 pandemic. NHS England and NHS Improvement regularly publish updated COVID-19 guidance to support clinicians and National Health Service managers, which is available on the NHS website at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/The Government has been clear throughout the pandemic that it is vital to take the right steps at the right time. Decisions on when to adjust lockdown measures are guided by scientific advice and based on the following five tests that need to be met:- The NHS is able to provide sufficient care, facilities and treatment across the United Kingdom to meet demand;- A fall in the death rate;- The rate of infection has decreased across all settings;- Confidence that operational challenges, such as increasing our testing capacity and having enough personal protective equipment, are in hand; and- Confidence that any changes will not lead to a significant second peak of infections.

Health Professions: Coronavirus

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his Department's policies of the Medscape data on the ranking of health worker deaths in countries in Europe; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Whately: The Government continues to be led by the evidence in our response to COVID-19. It is our absolute priority to ensure frontline healthcare staff are protected as much and as appropriately as possible, and that they feel safe. We are working around the clock to ensure enough supply of personal protective equipment is reaching the frontline.

Coronavirus

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the long term effects of covid-19 on multigenerational households.

Helen Whately: We know that staying at home for a prolonged period can be difficult, particularly in multi-generational households where people over the age of 70 or who are greater clinical risk from COVID-19 might experience difficulty shielding from working age members of the family, and children.In response, we have published guidance for people with grandparents, parents and children living together which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/guidance-for-households-with-grandparents-parents-and-children-living-together-where-someone-is-at-increased-risk-or-has-symptoms-of-coronavirus-cov

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on additional funding for care homes who have experienced increased number of deaths of residents as a result of covid-19; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Whately: We have been working with the sector to understand the pressures they are facing at this time, and recognise the potential impact of reduced occupancy in residential settings on provider finances.To support the sector, on 19 March we announced £1.6 billion to help local authorities deal with the immediate impacts of COVID-19, which many councils will have directed towards adult social care services. On 18 April we announced an additional £1.6 billion of funding to support councils delivering essential frontline services.On 13 May we announced an additional £600 million for an Infection Control Fund for adult social care. This funding is to support adult social care providers in England reduce the rate of transmission in and between care homes and to support workforce resilience.

Coronavirus: Social Distancing

Sir Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the evidential basis is for the Government's policy of requiring two metres minimum distance for social distancing during the covid-19 outbreak; on what grounds the Government has not set that minimum distance at one metre as practised in other countries; and for what reasons that policy does not set different social distancing requirements for indoor and outdoor environments.

Helen Whately: Holding answer received on 18 May 2020



The main route for COVID-19 spread is via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks. COVID-19 may spread directly person-to-person or indirectly via droplet contamination of surfaces.At the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, Public Health England (PHE) adopted a more precautionary approach than the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) recommendation of maintaining a one metre distance between individuals. This included PHE publishing guidance on social distancing stating that people should maintain a distance of at least two metres, which is also advised by several other countries such as Canada and South Korea.These precautionary measures were informed by the available evidence from a study on respiratory droplet characteristics and dispersion. This study estimated that droplets exhaled by coughing could have a potential range exceeding one metre; greater than the WHO’s recommended social distancing. Additionally, the study concluded that there was no difference in the dispersal of respiratory droplets between indoor and outdoor environments, and so PHE’s recommendations on social distancing remains the same for these environments. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7128962/

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Kate Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Prime Minister's statement of 11 May 2020, Official Report, column 24 on Covid-19: Strategy,  whether it is Government policy that people with (a) asthma, (b) diabetes and (c) other underlying health conditions should be actively encouraged to go to work if they cannot work from home.

Helen Whately: There are a number of underlying health conditions including asthma and diabetes that make people clinically vulnerable and increase the risk of severe illness from COVID-19. People in the clinically vulnerable category are advised to stay at home as much as possible and therefore should not be encouraged to go to work.A full list of the conditions that make people clinically vulnerable to COVID-19 can be found on the Government’s social distancing guidance at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staying-alert-and-safe-social-distancing/staying-alert-and-safe-social-distancing#businesses-and-venues

Abortion: Drugs

Sir Edward Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how his Department plans to record any complications that result from at-home abortions; and whether the NHS will be required to report on the number of women that are admitted to hospital for complications after being prescribed (a) Mifepristone and (b) Misoprostol by telephone, video conference or other electronic means.

Helen Whately: The Department is carefully monitoring the impact of home use of the administration of abortion medication which has been introduced as a temporary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic. Complications are recorded on the HSA4 abortion notification form sent to the Chief Medical Officer. In addition, there is a statutory requirement for providers to notify the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in cases of serious injury. Providers should be reporting and escalating issues to the CQC, who will follow up directly with the provider as required. Patients presenting in a National Health Service setting unexpectedly, due to complications, should be highlighted to the relevant independent health provider and all cases should be reported on the Strategic Executive Information System. The CQC engages regularly with the Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement on these matters.The Required Standard Operating Procedures set out in the Department’s Procedures for the Approval of Independent Sector Places for the Termination of Pregnancy require that all providers should have in place a formal risk management system and keep a risk register to identify and minimise any risks to patients and staff.

Abortion: Drugs

Sir Edward Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is able to ensure that a woman prescribed both abortion pills (a) over the phone, (b) via video conference and (c) by other electronic means will consume (i) both pills and (ii) both pills in the manner required; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Whately: Ministers have used powers under the Abortion Act 1967 to temporarily approve women’s homes as a class of place where both abortion pills can be taken for early medical abortion up to 10 weeks gestation.As part of their consultation prior to treatment commencing, women will be clearly informed that medical abortion is a two-stage process which requires the administration of Mifepristone followed by Misoprostol to successfully complete the procedure.In addition, the taking of Misoprostol at home, a policy which has been in place since December 2018 and has not led to any identified clinical compliance or other concerns.

Abortion: Drugs

Scott Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the March 2020 regulations permitting the use of both sets of abortion pills at home are in force temporarily.

Helen Whately: The changes to abortion regulation made on 30 March 2020 is on a temporary basis only and is limited for two years, or until the COVID-19 pandemic is over. It is not permanent.

Abortion: Safety

Sir Edward Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department undertook a risk assessment before issuing the March 2020 Approval of a Class of Places approval enabling at-home abortions.

Helen Whately: Powers under the Abortion Act 1967 were used to temporarily approve women’s homes as a class of place where both abortion pills can be taken for early medical abortion following careful consideration of the risks and issues. In particular account was taken of social isolation and social distancing advice, that services were closing and appointments being cancelled. The measures were put in place to ensure that the vast majority of women and girls could continue to access abortion services whilst limiting COVID-19 transmission. In addition, access to abortion is an urgent matter as the procedure’s risk increases at later gestations and there are legal gestational limits for accessing services. This change was made on a temporary basis only and is time limited for two years, or until the pandemic is over.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the covid-19 R rate in care homes.

Helen Whately: We do not currently have reproduction (R) rates for care homes. The Government Office for Science published the latest R number range for the United Kingdom on 15 May. The range of 0.7-1.0 is an estimate based on latest data available to determine infection and transmission rates.The Government is committed to publishing the scientific evidence that has informed the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies’ advice. These papers are being published in batches. The latest batches were released on 20 March 2020 and 5 May 2020 and the next batch will published in the coming weeks. The full list of papers released to date is available at the following link. This list will be updated to reflect papers considered at recent and future meetings:https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies-sage-coronavirus-covid-19-response

NHS 111: General Practitioners

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps NHS 111 is taking to ensure that GPs are aware of the advice it issues to their patients; and what the process is for referring vulnerable people who call NHS 111 to their GP.

Edward Argar: Holding answer received on 18 May 2020



Most calls to NHS 111 result in a Post-Event Message being sent to the patient’s general practitioner informing them of the nature of the call and the assessment.Callers accessing NHS 111 are thoroughly assessed and, if required, are passed on to a clinician for extended assessment. Mechanisms are in place in most areas to access patient records and special notes which will identify patients who are vulnerable or have specific needs.NHS England and NHS Improvement have accelerated the implementation of direct booking into general practice to ensure, as far as possible, that a patient gets an appointment at their practice where they are assessed as needing one.

NHS: Recruitment

Kirsten Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) instructions and (b) guidance (i) he and (ii) NHS England has issued to recruiters of staff to temporary roles in the test, trace, isolate phase of virus control on the recruitment of people on furlough from private sector jobs.

Helen Whately: Holding answer received on 20 May 2020



The Government is recruiting contact tracers to support enhanced contact tracing as part of the new NHS Test and Trace Service. Recruitment could include staff who are currently furloughed and would be subject to approval from their employers.The Department is contracting with a number of organisations to provide the contact tracing outbound calling workforce. NHS England is not co-ordinating this service.NHS Employers has issued a FAQ on the recruitment of furloughed workers from the private sector at the following link:https://www.nhsemployers.org/news/2020/04/staff-terms-and-conditions-covid19-faqs

Social Services: Conditions of Employment

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the £60,000 death-in-service lump sum payment in respect of covid-19 applies to nurses and care workers working in social care settings where (a) all, (b) some or (c) none of the cost of the care is funded by local authorities.

Helen Whately: The Government has announced a life assurance scheme for frontline National Health Service and social care staff. The scheme is non-contributory and pays a £60,000 lump sum where staff who had been recently working where personal care is provided to individuals who have contracted COVID-19 die as a result of the virus.Nurses and care workers working in social care are eligible, providing that their work requires them to be present in frontline settings where COVID-19 is present, and that they are employed by an organisation registered by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to provide social care services; regardless of how they are funded.In addition, any members of the social care workforce in non-CQC registered settings are also eligible, if their employer receives public funding.

Care Homes: Health Services

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to (a) help reduce the mortality figures in care homes and (b) ensure that residents receive appropriate treatment and palliative care during the covid-19 outbreak.

Helen Whately: We are working closely with local authorities, the care sector and NHS England to understand the impact of COVID-19 on care homes and ensure everyone has access to the right care, in the most appropriate setting for their needs. We have provided extensive support and guidance to care homes throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.Every death from this virus is a tragedy and we are working around the clock to give the social care sector the equipment and support they need to tackle this outbreak. The safety of residents and staff is always a priority. On 15 May 2020 we published a care home support package which outlines the next phase of our response for care homes, using the latest domestic and international evidence brought together by Public Health England, and drawing on the insights of care providers. To support this, on 13 May we announced an additional £600 million to support providers through a new Adult Social Care Infection Control Fund.The adult social care action plan states that end of life care must continue to be planned in a holistic way involving social care, community nursing, general practice, occupational therapy. Provision of end of life care should reflect the individual patient’s needs and preferences, and where and how these can best be met. The Government, with the NHS, has published a new Standard Operating Procedure for the re-use of medicines in care homes and hospices. This will enable easier access to critical the end of life medication in these settings.This is an unprecedented global pandemic and we will continue to review our guidance and national support in line with the latest scientific advice.

Coronavirus: Ethnic Groups

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the risk of catchin covid-19 by BME women in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 20 May 2020



The National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit are using the United Kingdom Obstetric Surveillance System to determine the incidence of hospitalisation with pandemic COVID-19 infection in pregnancy and assess the outcomes of pandemic COVID-19 in pregnancy for mother and infant.The initial analysis of the study found that there was a strong association between admission with infection and black or minority ethnicity. Consequently, The Royal College of Midwives has launched a targeted campaign to raise awareness of the increased risk to Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) women and reassure pregnant mothers that help is available. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is also updating its guidance to reflect the increased risks for BAME women so that health professionals can pass on relevant advice and support to the women in their care.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has plans to introduce time slots for exercise to enable people in certain demographics that are vulnerable to covid-19 to leave their homes with less risk.

Helen Whately: There are currently no plans to introduce time slots for exercise. Those who are identified as clinically vulnerable are advised to follow stringent social distancing measures to minimise contact with others outside their household, this includes when exercising outdoors. Those who are identified as clinically extremely vulnerable are advised to shield and avoid all face-to-face contact until at least the end of June.Further to the Prime Minister's announcement on Sunday 10 May, the Government has published detailed guidance on grassroots and elite sport. This includes further details for members of the public on how they can exercise outside and for outdoor facilities on re-opening, should they wish to do so.

Obesity: Hospitals

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how data on hospital admissions classified as obesity-related is recorded in NHS statistics.

Edward Argar: Hospital Episodes Statistics use World Health Organization International Classification of Diseases v.10 (ICD-10). Within ICD-10 obesity is assigned as code E66 and this will be recorded on any episode of care where a clinical diagnosis of obesity has been made.NHS Digital states that obesity codes may be used but not interpreted by the coder and only be coded when a diagnosis of obesity is recorded in the medical record. This means that where Body Mass Index has been recorded in the medical record, it must not be used to assign a E66 code. A clinical coder must always refer to the responsible consultant to confirm the clinical significance of a test result.

Local Government: Coronavirus

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to engage with local authorities on the use of their staff for the purposes of covid-19 contact tracing.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 20 May 2020



Local authority staff will be a key part of contact tracing as the NHS Test and Trace service focusing on local outbreak management and this element of the service is being developed jointly between Public Health England and representatives from local government sector organisations.

Coronavirus: Death

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 14 May 2020 to Question 4387, whether he has had discussions with the ONS on the potential under-reporting of deaths in the community from covid-19 as the result of GPs not being present to complete medical certificates of cause of death since 1 March 2020; and if he will make a statement.

Ms Nadine Dorries: In response to the provisions in the Coronavirus Act 2020 in relation to death certification, the General Register Office/Home Office and the Office for National Statistics published revised guidance to medical practitioners completing medical certificates cause of death (MCCD) for a period of emergency. This guidance confirms that COVID-19 is an acceptable direct or underlying cause of death for the purposes of completing the MCCD.Both in a non-emergency period and an emergency period, medical practitioners are expected to state the cause of death to the best of their knowledge and belief and are not required to be in the presence of the deceased when completing the MCCD. The certifying medical practitioner should have access to relevant medical records and the results of investigations.

Drugs: Licensing

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure close cooperation with EU nations on licensing new medicines after the transition period.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The United Kingdom published its approach to the Future Relationship with the European Union in February 2020. The approach set outs the UK’s commitments to facilitating trade in medicinal products and supporting high levels of patient safety.After the transition period, our aim is to make sure patients in the UK are not disadvantaged and continue to be able to access the best and most innovative medicines. We want patients to be reassured that their safety will be protected through the strongest regulatory framework.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans the Government has to introduce covid-19 immunity passports.

Ms Nadine Dorries: In order to fully understand the potential of certification in the next phase of our national response to this pandemic, we first need to improve our understanding of how the immune system responds to infection with the COVID-19 virus.COVID-19 is a new disease and the science around ‘immunity’ to the virus remains uncertain. We do not, for example, know how long an antibody response to the virus lasts nor whether having antibodies means one does not transmit the virus to others.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people with covid-19 have been discharged from hospitals into care homes in the UK.

Helen Whately: Information is not available in the format requested.The attached table shows a count of finished discharge episodes with any diagnosis of COVID-19 by discharge destination for each month in 2020 in England.Health is a devolved matter within Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the data requested is therefore unavailable.The following codes have been used within the document:- U07.1 – Covid-19, virus identified; and- U07.2 – Covid-19, virus not identifiedThe data shows the number of completed episodes and not the number of people as some individuals may have been admitted and discharged on more than one occasion during the period.The data is provisional and is subject to review.

NHSX: Computer Software

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how data from the NHS covid-19 contact-tracing app will be (a) used, (b) stored and (c) disposed of.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The data will only be used for National Health Service care, management, evaluation and research related to COVID-19. It will remain under the control of the Department and the NHS. Any companies working with the NHS are bound by robust contract and data processing agreements that specify how they use and store data. The data will be stored in a secure NHS data centre.If users delete the app, all data stored on the phone and not already voluntarily shared with the Department or the NHS would be deleted. If users do not opt to share their data while the app remains on their phone, it will automatically be deleted on a continuous 28-day cycle within the app, on the phone.Any data voluntarily shared with the NHS as part of the public health emergency, either proactively or as part of requesting a test, may be retained and used in the future for research in the public interest, or by the NHS for planning and delivering services, provided that doing so is in accordance with necessary legislation, including the General Data Protection Regulation.

Social Services: Finance

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on potential long-term sustainable funding solutions for adult social care to inform the Comprehensive Spending Review 2020.

Helen Whately: At the 2019 Spending Round we announced that we would be providing councils with access to an additional £1.5 billion for adult and children’s social care in 2020/21 on top of maintaining £2.5 billion of existing social care grants and will support local authorities to meet rising demand and continue to stabilise the social care system.This includes an additional £1 billion of grant funding for adults and children’s social care, and a 2% precept that enables councils to access a further £500 million for adult social care.We have now made £3.2 billion available to local authorities so they can address pressures on local services caused by COVID-19, including in adult social care. On 15 May we published details of an additional £600 million Infection Control Fund for Adult Social Care.Future funding for social care will be set out at the next Spending Review.

NHSX: Computer Software

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 18 May 2020 to Question 43901, on NHS: Computer Software, when information that is shared with his Department and the NHS will be destroyed.

Ms Nadine Dorries: App users can delete the National Health Service COVID-19 app whenever they want. If users delete the app, all data stored on the phone and not already shared with the NHS would be deleted. If users do not opt to share their data, it will automatically be deleted on a continuous 28-day cycle within the app, on the phone.

NHSX: Computer Software

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the procurement process was for the NHS testing app.

Ms Nadine Dorries: We rapidly engaged with several companies to understand their technological capabilities and assess the best approach. As a result of this process and given the extreme urgency, we made a direct award to VMWare Pivotal Labs, as permitted under Regulation 32 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

NHSX: Computer Software

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how work on the NHS covid-19 contact tracing app was divided between (a) NHSX and (b) Zuhlke Engineering;  and what success criteria were defined in the contract for that project.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The National Health Service COVID-19 app is being developed by a multidisciplinary, multi-organisational team led by NHSX but also including representatives from across Government. Zuhlke provides technical assurance for the app. The contract with Zuhlke defines the following deliverables:- provide technical oversight of activities and deliverables; and- work with project stakeholders to deliver effective project governance and assurance.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many relatives of care home employees were tested for covid-19 on the basis of being a relative of a care home employee in each week from 2 March 2020 to 4 May 2020.

Helen Whately: Data on the number of relatives of care home employees that were tested on the basis of being a relative of a care home employee is not currently available or published in the format requested.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many relatives of care home residents were tested for covid-19 on the basis of being a relative of a care home resident in each week from 2 March 2020 to 4 May 2020.

Helen Whately: Data on the number of relatives of care home residents that were tested on the basis of being a relative of a care home resident is not currently available or published in the format requested.

Department for International Development

Eritrea: Humanitarian Aid

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the (a) covid-19 pandemic and (b) ongoing locust infestation in the Horn of Africa on the humanitarian situation in Eritrea.

James Duddridge: We are deeply concerned about COVID-19 and the desert locust outbreak compounding high humanitarian need already caused by residual effects of war and climate change induced disasters in Eritrea. Limited health infrastructure, limited diagnostic capacity, low levels of sanitation coverage and high pre-existing levels of malnutrition and morbidity, raise the Eritrean population’s vulnerability. The locust outbreak is destroying crops, livelihoods and essential food supplies. The impact of COVID-19 on domestic market supply chains and household food and income sources could also be significant.Existing humanitarian and development programmes in Eritrea are being adapted to address current food security challenges. The UK has funded life-saving activity in Eritrea for several years, including providing £4 million to UNICEF in 2019-20 to help treat malnutrition in under-fives and provide access to safe hygiene and sanitation services. The UK has provided £7 million to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Regional Emergency Appeal for the locust outbreak, which includes Eritrea. With the UK’s support, the FAO is spraying pesticides on the ground and by air to prevent further damage to crops and livelihoods.

Eritrea: Asylum

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the humanitarian situation of (a) Eritrean asylum seekers and (b) unaccompanied children who are being turned away from the Ethiopian border.

James Duddridge: Recent changes in the Government of Ethiopia’s (GoE) asylum policies, alongside the impact of COVID-19, are affecting the ability of Eritreans to acquire refugee status in Ethiopia. The policy changes have seen a reduction in the numbers of Eritreans registering with the GoE and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Humanitarian agencies are now concerned that many Eritreans, including unaccompanied children, arrive in Ethiopia but do not complete the formal registration processes that facilitate access to lifesaving protection and other forms of assistance. This makes it challenging to assess their humanitarian needs.We are not aware that unaccompanied children are being turned away at the Ethiopian border. However, in an effort to limit transmission of COVID-19 GoE asylum personnel are no longer deployed at border crossings, which complicates registration processes for newly arrived asylum seekers. Despite these complications we are encouraged that recent COVID-19 planning documents shared by the GoE stress Ethiopia’s commitment to uphold the right to asylum.In Ethiopia, the UK has allocated £22.2 million to COVID-19 activities with urgent support now reaching refugees and other communities across the country. Ongoing UK funded programmes are also being adapted to meet COVID-19 needs, which refugees are also benefitting from.

Department for International Development: Chief Scientific Advisers

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many meetings (a) she and (b) her predecessor had with her Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser (i) from 1 September to 30 November 2019 and (ii) from 1 December 2019 to 29 February 2020.

James Duddridge: The DFID Chief Scientific Adviser met with the previous Secretary of State, Alok Sharma, 3 times during the period 1 September to 30 November 2019.She also met with the previous Secretary of State Alok Sharma on 4 occasions between 1 December 2019 and 12 February 2020 and with the current Secretary of State, Anne Marie Trevelyan, on 4 occasions between 13 February and 29 February 2020.The Chief Scientific Adviser continues to provide all Ministers with regular written submissions and briefings on DFID science and research activities.

Department for Education

Free School Meals: Voucher Schemes

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 11 May 2020 to Question 43043 on Free School Meals: Voucher Schemes, what proportion of eCodes are delivered within four days of ordering.

Vicky Ford: As both my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19. Our latest guidance on for schools is set out below:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings. During this period, we are asking schools to support children who are eligible for and claiming benefits-related free school meals, by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education. For the national voucher scheme, our supplier, Edenred, has indicated that orders are processed within 4 days. The latest information provided by Edenred indicates that all orders received by 14 May were processed by 18 May. It is important to note that schools can place orders for voucher codes to be scheduled for future delivery dates. For example, a school could submit an order on 4 May, requesting the voucher code be delivered to a parent on the 18 May. As of Friday 22 May, Edenred reported that over £101.5 million of voucher codes has been converted into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families. In the week commencing 11 May, Edenred issued communications to schools to address a number of incomplete orders, which require further action from the schools, and highlighting an issue in which schools have used incorrect or invalid parent email addresses. We are continuing to work very closely with Edenred to improve the performance of the national voucher scheme. In the last fortnight, waiting times that parent and schools previously experienced when accessing the website have been reduced very significantly and Edenred continue to work tirelessly to improve the service. These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

Free School Meals: Voucher Schemes

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support his Department is providing to (a) schools and (b) local authorities to ensure that parents claim e-vouchers issued by them for free school meals.

Vicky Ford: As both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.Our latest guidance on national voucher scheme is set out below:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance-for-schools.During this period, we are asking schools to speak to their catering team or food suppliers to arrange meals or food parcels for pupils who are eligible for free school meals while they are staying at home. Where this is not possible, the department has developed a national voucher scheme as an alternative to support schools with this provision.We are working very closely with our national voucher scheme supplier, Edenred, to ensure schools, as administrators ordering the vouchers for families, receive regular updates and advice regarding the scheme. There are also a number of online resources specifically aimed at schools and parents, including the following:parent and carer FAQs, which are available here: https://www.edenred.co.uk/Documents/DfE/DfE_FreeSchoolMeals_ParentCarerFAQs.pdf;a school user guide, which is available here: https://www.edenred.co.uk/Documents/DfE/DfE_FreeSchoolMeals_AdminUserGuide.pdf; andguidance from the department, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance. Edenred has reported that over £101.5 million worth of voucher codes has been redeemed into supermarket e-gift cards by schools and families through the scheme as of Friday 22 May.These are rapidly developing circumstances. We continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

Free School Meals: Coronavirus

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information his Department holds on the number of schools that have not taken up the free school meal voucher scheme during the covid-19 outbreak; and what provisions those schools are putting in place as an alternative to that scheme.

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many families of children who are eligible for free school meals are receiving a financial support for purchasing food during the covid-19 outbreak.

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that families of children entitled to free school meals receive financial support in cases where they have not received either free school meal vouchers or an alternative during the covid-19 outbreak.

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that schools not partaking in the free school meal voucher scheme during the covid-19 outbreak provide suitable alternatives to those families of children eligible for free school meals.

Vicky Ford: As both my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.Our latest guidance for schools is set out below:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings.These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.During this period, we are asking schools to support children who are eligible for and claiming benefits-related free school meals, by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. We know that many schools are successfully delivering food parcels or arranging food collections for eligible children, and we encourage this approach where it is possible.However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education.Schools are best placed to make decisions about the most appropriate arrangements for eligible pupils, and this can include food parcel arrangements, alternative voucher arrangements or provision through the national voucher scheme. Some schools may apply a combination of these approaches. We do not hold details of the arrangements each individual school is making outside of the national voucher scheme.Our national voucher scheme supplier, Edenred has reported that over £101.5 million worth of voucher codes has been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme as of Friday 22 May. Edenred has also reported that 17,000 schools had placed orders for the scheme as of Tuesday 12 May.We do not collect data at pupil or family level about local arrangements for free school meals provision during this period. We therefore do not hold information on the number of children that have been fed via school collection and distribution models or other means since school closures.Schools should provide meal options for all children who are in school, and meals should be available free of charge where pupils meet the benefits-related free school meal eligibility criteria and to all infant pupils. Under normal circumstances, schools do not provide free school meals to eligible children who are not in school. However, during the COVID-19 outbreak we expect schools to continue supporting children eligible for benefits-related free school meals who are at home.

Schools: Coronavirus

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department plans to take to support the mental health of pupils when they return to school during the covid-19 outbreak.

Vicky Ford: The government remains committed to promoting and supporting the mental health of children and young people. Access to mental health support is more important than ever during the COVID-19 outbreak. NHS services remain open and leading mental health charities are being supported to deliver additional services through the £5 million Coronavirus Mental Health Response Fund. The NHS is also setting up 24/7 open access telephone lines for urgent mental health support for people of all ages.The department has established a dedicated helpline and webpages covering advice for the education sector, as well as advice for parents and carers supporting children. The pages on GOV.UK include information about how education settings, and parents and carers, can support children and young people who may be struggling with mental health during this difficult time. These pages include the following:educational provision for vulnerable children and children of key workers, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people;safeguarding, including keeping children safe from online harms, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers/coronavirus-covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers;advice on mental health and behaviour, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-and-behaviour-in-schools--2; andonline education resources, including resources to support mental wellbeing, physical activity, and special educational needs and disabilities, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources/coronavirus-covid-19-list-of-online-education-resources-for-home-education. The return to school will in itself be part of supporting the mental health and wellbeing of pupils as attendance enables social interaction with peers, carers and teachers. Pupil wellbeing is an important consideration within our guidance on actions for educational and childcare settings as they prepare for wider opening from 1 June 2020. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-educational-and-childcare-settings-to-prepare-for-wider-opening-from-1-june-2020.Pupil wellbeing is also included as a specific theme in the planning framework the department has issued. We are continuing to talk with school and health partners on how to make further resources and support available to schools as children and young people return. The planning framework is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-educational-and-childcare-settings-to-prepare-for-wider-opening-from-1-june-2020/opening-schools-for-more-children-and-young-people-initial-planning-framework-for-schools-in-england.

Free School Meals: Coronavirus

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the number of pupils eligible for free schools meals and the number of pupils who are accessing the food voucher scheme during the covid-19 outbreak.

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many families have successfully applied for free school meals in (a) March, (b) April, and (c) May 2020; and how many applied for free school meals in the same time period in 2019.

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average time taken was for an application for free school meals to be accepted and for food vouchers to be received in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to reduce the time taken between a new application for free school meals and food vouchers being received.

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate his Department has made of the number of families who are now eligible for free school meals as a result of the financial effect of the covid-19 outbreak.

Vicky Ford: As both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.Our latest guidance for schools is set out below:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings.These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.During this period, we are asking schools to support children who are eligible for and claiming benefits-related free school meals, by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education.Schools are best placed to make decisions about the most appropriate arrangements for eligible pupils and this can include food parcel arrangements, alternative voucher arrangements or provision through the national voucher scheme. Some schools may adopt a combination of these approaches. We do not hold data at a pupil or family level for the national voucher scheme. However, the supplier, Edenred has reported that 17,000 schools had placed orders for the scheme as of Tuesday 12 May. Edenred has also reported that that over £101.5 million worth of voucher codes has been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme as of Friday 22 May.The overall number and proportion of students who qualify for free school meals is published in the ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ publication and its underlying data files. As of the 2019 school census, there are around 1.3 million children eligible for and claiming free school meals. More recent figures are not yet available. The 2019 publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2019.The responsibility for checking the eligibility of applicants for free school meals rests with the individual school. However, many schools will choose to work with local authorities to carry out these checks via our Eligibility Checking System. The department does not hold details of when applications are submitted locally for free school meals and we do not hold data on the time that may elapse between an application and the receipt of meals or vouchers. These arrangements are managed locally.We have been working very closely with Edenred to improve the performance of the national voucher scheme, including in relation to the waiting times that parents and schools have experienced when accessing the system. We are very grateful to families and schools for their understanding and patience while this service has been upgraded to meet increased demand.

Pupils: Coronavirus

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions he has had with headteachers on pupils’ access to food during the covid-19 outbreak.

Vicky Ford: As both my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.Our latest guidance for schools is set out below:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings.These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.There continues to be extensive engagement between the Department for Education and headteacher unions at both an official and ministerial level, including a weekly meeting involving my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. The department has also met its headteacher reference groups. Issues around pupils’ access to food are regularly raised in these discussions.

Children in Care: Coronavirus

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to extend financial assistance offered to support Looked After Children during and after the period of school closures due to the covid-19 outbreak to all children who are subject to a Special Guardianship Order.

Vicky Ford: Schools in England receive £2,345 Pupil Premium Plus funding for each child recorded on their census as having left the care of an English or Welsh local authority on a special guardianship order, which is the same rate as attracted by looked-after children. Since 2018, special guardians have been able to benefit from the expert advice of local authority virtual school heads, and schools are required to appoint a designated teacher to provide support in school. Providers have discretion, working with other partners where appropriate, to continue to offer education provision to children and young people who they deem to be vulnerable. This may include children who have left care because they are the subject of an adoption, special guardianship or child arrangements order.Local authorities also have a duty to provide for special guardianship support services, including financial support where necessary. Provision of support is discretionary and is based on an assessment of the guardian’s support needs. Where the child was looked after immediately prior to the making of the special guardianship order, funding from the Adoption Support Fund is available to pay for therapeutic services where they need help to recover from their previous experiences and bond with their new family.We are also providing financial support to schools to meet additional costs arising from COVID-19. In addition, local authorities across England will receive a further £1.6 billion to help them to deal with the immediate impacts of COVID-19. This takes the total funding to support councils to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak to over £3.2 billion. Local authorities are best placed to decide how to meet the major COVID-19 service pressures in their local area, including special educational needs and disabilities and children’s social care.

Children: Coronavirus

Sir George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the change in the level of food insecurity among children during the covid-19 outbreak.

Vicky Ford: As both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.Our latest guidance for schools is set out below:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings.These are rapidly developing circumstances. We will continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.The government has taken a series of significant actions, including actions regarding families’ access to food, to support families affected by COVID-19.During this period, the Department for Education is asking schools to support children who are eligible for and claiming benefits-related free school meals by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why, on 31 March, we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education.Schools are best placed to make decisions about the most appropriate arrangements for eligible pupils. This can include food parcel arrangements, alternative voucher arrangements or provision through the national voucher scheme. Our national voucher scheme supplier, Edenred, has reported that over £101.5 million worth of voucher codes has been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme as of Friday 22 May.On 8 May, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport announced up to £16 million to provide food for those who are struggling as a result of COVID-19. The programme will provide millions of meals over a 12-week period, as delivered through charities including FareShare and WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme). At least 5,000 frontline charities and community groups in England will benefit, including families, refuges, homeless shelters and rehabilitation services. It will cover rural areas as well as cities, targeting those who are struggling to get food.In addition, the government continues to invest significantly each year on welfare benefits for people of working age, supporting people when they need it, including those who are out of work or on a low income. During the COVID-19 outbreak, the UK government’s package of support in response to COVID-19 is one of the largest in the world. We have increased Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit by over £1,000 a year for this financial year, benefiting over 4 million households. We have also increased Local Housing Allowance rates, putting an average of £600 into people’s pockets. Taken together, these measures provide over £6.5 billion of additional support through the welfare system for people affected by COVID-19.

Institutes of Technology

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 2.47 of the Budget 2020 Red Book, where the eight new institutes of technology will be located.

Gillian Keegan: In line with our Manifesto commitment, we plan to invest up to £290 million of capital funding to establish 20 Institutes of Technology. This will enable every region in England to have a high quality Institute of Technology. Further to a 15 month competition, the first 12 Institutes of Technology are currently being rolled-out with access to £170 million of capital funding. An additional 8 Institutes of Technology will be selected through a further competition that will be launched later in the year. The competition will only be open to those areas that currently do not have an Institute.

Free School Meals: Voucher Schemes

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that Edenred follows up on individual cases of (a) schools or (b) families being unable to access free school meal vouchers.

Vicky Ford: We have been working very closely with our national free school meals voucher supplier, Edenred, to improve the performance of the scheme. Edenred has made a number of enhancements to the system to ensure that schools can place orders easily and families can receive this much needed support as swiftly as possible. This includes improvements to significantly reduce waiting times to access the website to order or redeem voucher codes.Additionally, Edenred has identified a number of voucher code emails which had not been delivered as schools had entered an incorrect email address for the parent or carer. Edenred contacted all schools affected to alert them and to provide guidance on how they could issue new voucher codes to families.Edenred has reported that over £101.5 million worth of voucher codes have been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme as of Friday 22 May. Edenred has also reported that 17,000 schools had placed orders for the scheme as of Tuesday 12 May. We are very grateful to families and schools for their understanding and patience while this service has been upgraded to meet demand.These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

Higher Education: Coronavirus

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that Higher Education institutions have adequate funding to ensure their financial sustainability during the covid-19 outbreak.

Michelle Donelan: The government recognises that the COVID-19 outbreak is bringing significant financial challenges to the higher education (HE) sector and we have been working closely with the sector to monitor the likely impacts.On 4 May 2020, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced a package of measures to ensure sustainability in HE at a time of unprecedented uncertainty.We will stabilise the admissions system and reprofile tuition fee payments, expected to be worth £2.6 billion, for providers so that they receive more cash in the first term of the 2020/21 academic year. This will have no impact on students but will allow providers to better manage financial risks over the autumn. This will be available to all providers across the UK.In reprofiling these payments, we are clear in our expectation that providers should use the cashflow benefits appropriately, taking significant steps to improve efficiencies and manage their finances in order to avoid cashflow problems in the future. Reprofiling in this way is a one-off intervention for the autumn term only, to help providers take all necessary steps now to prepare for the future.In England, we will also be bringing forward £100 million of quality-related research funding for providers to the current academic year to help to address some of the immediate pressures faced by university research activities.The department will consider purchasing land and buildings where they can be used for new or expanding schools and colleges in England. This will take place as part of existing programmes and using established procedures. This financial year (across purchases from all suitable vendors, including but not limited to HE providers), we have budgeted up to £100 million to acquire sites for planned projects in England. Details are available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-support-package-for-universities-and-students.These measures are in addition to the unprecedented package of support for businesses already announced by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and a range of business loan schemes, to help pay wages, keep staff employed and support businesses whose viability is threatened by the outbreak.The government has also confirmed that providers are eligible to apply for its support packages, including business loan support schemes, which the Office for Students (OfS), the regulator in England, estimates could be worth at least £700 million to the sector.We will only intervene further where we believe there is a case to do so and where we believe intervention is possible and appropriate and as a last resort.In such instances, we will work with providers to review their circumstances and assess the need for restructuring and any attached conditions. The department will be working with HM Treasury and other government departments to develop this restructuring regime and with the devolved administrations.

Ministry of Justice

Ministry of Justice: Chief Scientific Advisers

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many meetings (a) she and (b) her predecessor had with her Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser (i) from 1 September to 30 November 2019 and (ii) from 1 December 2019 to 29 February 2020.

Chris Philp: The responsibilities of a Chief Scientific Advisor are performed by the Director of Analysis in the Ministry of Justice. The Director of Analysis has had one meeting with the Secretary of State between 1st of September and the 29th of February.

Department for International Trade

Department for International Trade: Chief Scientific Advisers

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many meetings she had with her Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser (a) from 1 September to 30 November 2019 and (b) from 1 December 2019 to 29 February 2020.

Graham Stuart: The Department for International Trade draws from a range of scientific advice and expertise, including from the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, the Chief Scientific Advisers in individual Government Departments, and academics and researchers. In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal meetings are not normally disclosed.

Prime Minister

Prime Minister: Chief Scientific Advisers

Greg Clark: To ask the Prime Minister, how many meetings he had with the Government's Chief Scientific Adviser (a) from 1 September to 30 November 2019 and (b) from 1 December 2019 to 29 February 2020.

Boris Johnson: I have regular meetings with ministerial colleagues, officials and others including the Government Chief Scientific Adviser.

Department for Work and Pensions

Aviation: Redundancy

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support former employees of the UK aviation sector who have been made redundant due to the covid-19 outbreak.

Mims Davies: We know this is a worrying time for people and we stand ready to support anyone impacted by job loss. In response to Covid-19 we have established an alternative service to our usual face to face offer. People will be able to access redundancy help and job search advice on the Department’s new Job Help campaign website (www.jobhelp.dwp.gov.uk). There’s also information on gov.uk and updated information packs provided to employers to help them signpost employees to the support that is available. The support includes: Connecting people to jobs in the labour marketHelping with job search including CV writing, interview skills, where to find jobs and how to apply for themHelping to identify transferable skills and skills gaps (linked to the local labour market)Advising what benefits they may get and how to claim The Rapid Response Service is co-ordinated nationally by the National Employer and Partnership Team (NEPT) and managed by Jobcentre Plus. Delivery partners include the National Careers Service, local training providers, employers, HMRC, Money Advice Service and the skills bodies in England. These services are offered by equivalents in the Devolved Administrations PACE (Scotland) and ReAct (Wales). Redundancy support in Northern Ireland is devolved with separate funding and delivery arrangements where no partner support is available.

Death Certificates: Coronavirus

Ben Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of recording covid-19 as the sole cause of death on the death certificates of former coal miners with industrial lung conditions on the (a) pensions and (b) entitlements of the wives of those former  miners.

Justin Tomlinson: Under the terms of the Coal Industry Pneumoconiosis Compensation Scheme (CIPCS), formerly the Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis Compensation Scheme, there is provision for posthumous claims to be made. In instances in which an individual was not assessed for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) during life, or a retrospective request either is not possible or successful, a claim can be made under CIPCS, if pneumoconiosis appears on the Death Certificate. IIDB which is usually claimed by employees who become disabled as a result of a prescribed disease or accident caused by their employment, can be claimed posthumously, by the dependants of anyone who dies whilst suffering from a prescribed disease, provided they do so within one year of the issue of the deceased’s death certificate. Any evidence a family can provide that confirms or suggests that the deceased was suffering from a prescribed disease prior to their death would be considered as part of a posthumous claim. This includes claimants who may have died as a result of COVID-19, and no mention of the prescribed disease was on their death certificate. For an award to be made, the death does not need to be in respect of the prescribed disease but may be from any cause, including for example where COVID-19 was a contributory factor. Payments to dependants usually equate to up to 3 months’ worth of benefit, but may sometimes be higher.

Department for Work and Pensions: Chief Scientific Advisers

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many meetings she had with her Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser (a) from 1 September to 30 November 2019 and (b) from 1 December 2019 to 29 February 2020.

Mims Davies: Between 8 September 2019 (when the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions was appointed) and 29 February 2020, the Secretary of State and the Department’s Chief Scientific Officer held one bilateral meeting.

Social Security Benefits

Mr Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that legacy benefits are increased in line with increases to universal credit.

Will Quince: DWP have no plans to increase Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance or Income Support. These benefits were increased by 1.7% in April 2020 as part of the annual up-rating exercise.

Universal Credit: Coronavirus

Mr Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effect of the five-week wait for the first payment of universal credit on the financial wellbeing of applicants who applied during the covid-19 outbreak.

Will Quince: Claimants in need of support do not have to wait 5 weeks for their first payment. New Claim Advances of up to 100% of a claimant’s indicative award are available if claimants need support during their first assessment period, and budgeting support is available for anyone who needs extra help.

Universal Credit: Coronavirus

Mr Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effect of universal credit on the wellbeing of claimants who are also in receipt of maternity allowance, during the covid-19 outbreak.

Mims Davies: No assessment has been made of the effect of Universal Credit on the wellbeing of claimants who are also in receipt of maternity allowance, during the covid-19 outbreak. Universal Credit is replacing a complex system of six legacy benefits with a single monthly payment and through a simple taper system ensures claimants are better off in work, keeping more of what they earn compared to the legacy benefit system. It is a longstanding principle of the welfare system that benefits are not paid to claimants with income available from other sources to support themselves. Where claimants have income available to meet their everyday living costs, their entitlement to Universal Credit is adjusted accordingly. This includes other benefits such as new style Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance and Maternity Allowance. Maternity Allowance is a health and safety measure to enable women to stop work in the later stages of pregnancy and after childbirth in the interest of their own, and their baby’s, health and wellbeing.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Chief Scientific Advisers

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many meetings (a) he and (b) his predecessor had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser (i) from 1 September to 30 November 2019 and (ii) from 1 December 2019 to 29 February 2020.

Victoria Prentis: The current Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has been in post since 13 February 2020. Between 13 February and 29 February 2020, he attended one meeting with his Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA). The previous Secretary of State attended one meeting with her CSA between 1 September and 30 November 2019, and two meetings between 1 December 2019 and 12 February 2020. Between 1 September and 1 October 2019, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs did not have a CSA in post. The Department’s Junior Ministers also attend meetings with their CSA.

Africa: Poaching

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to increase funding support for anti-poaching projects in Africa during the covid-19 pandemic.

Victoria Prentis: Between 2014 and 2024 the Government is investing over £66 million to crack down on the illegal trade of animals and plants, including activities to train rangers in Africa to help communities protect their wildlife from poaching. We remain fully committed to protecting biodiversity and preventing the loss of species, which is why we are looking carefully at how we can contribute to the international response to the Covid-19 pandemic. This includes through our well respected Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund which has committed over £26 million to 85 projects since it was launched in 2014. The latest round opened for applications on 22 May 2020 and is available to support projects that respond to the emerging impacts of Covid-19 on the illegal trade in wildlife.

Trees: Railways

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the English Tree Strategy consultation, what discussions officials in his Department have had with officials from the Department of Transport on trees along railway lines.

Rebecca Pow: Defra has been working closely with other departments, including the Department for Transport (DfT), to develop the England Tree Strategy consultation. The consultation will consider the role that all trees and woodland can play in delivering the 25 Year Environment Plan. In this way it echoes and aligns with DfT’s work to establish a clear position with Network Rail on the role of rail infrastructure in supporting the delivery of the 25 Year Environment Plan. Network Rail is responsible for 20,000km of track and around 6.3 million trees with the potential to support biodiversity around the country. DfT has therefore asked Network Rail to achieve no net loss in biodiversity on its existing lineside estate by 2024 and to achieve biodiversity net gain on each route by 2040.

Home Office

Undocumented Migrants: English Channel

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many migrants have crossed the English Channel to enter the UK in (a) January, (b) February and (c) March 2020; and what the countries of origin were for those migrants.

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of illegal migrants who have crossed the English Channel to enter the UK since 1 April 2020.

Chris Philp: The data showing the number of migrants intercepted crossing the English Channel to enter the UK for the months of January, February and March is shown in the table below, including the claimed nationalities for those migrants:(a) January 2020 – 94; (b) February 2020 – 182 and (c) March 2020 – 187. By nationality:JanFebMarchIran (Islamic Republic of)53109104Iraq164063Syria Arab Republic161813Afghanistan535Kuwait Bidoun1Yemen51Pakistan41Mali2Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)1Senegal1Egypt1Guinea1Grand Total94182187 The total number of migrants for the April period cannot yet be released as the figures have not passed through a data quality check and cannot be assured. The figures will be published at a later date, once they have been

Asylum: Glasgow

Stuart C McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department was notified by Mears Group of plans to move some 300 asylum seekers from self-contained accommodation into hotels in Glasgow.

Stuart C McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department gave approval to Mears Group for plans to move some 300 asylum seekers from self-contained accommodation into hotels in Glasgow in April.

Stuart C McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what risk assessments her Department have (a) requested, (b) conducted and (c) received in relation to the move by Mears Group of asylum seekers from self-contained accommodation into hotels in Glasgow in April 2020.

Stuart C McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) consultation with, (b) engagement with and (c) notification of relevant (i) individuals and (ii) organisations her Department undertook prior to the Mears Group moving asylum seekers from self-contained accommodation into hotels in Glasgow in April 2020.

Chris Philp: The moves that took place in Glasgow were moves from contingency accommodation (serviced apartments) to contingency accommodation (hotels). Contingency use is permitted under the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts. Where a provider needs to move an Initial Accommodation (IA) or Dispersed Accommodation (DA) service user they may have to do so as a matter of urgency and in such circumstances there is no contractual requirement to notify the Home Office in advance, but rather within one day of such a move taking place. A provider may only move an IA Service User once. All accommodation providers are required to undertake risk assessments for the activities and services they perform and risk is formally managed on a monthly basis at formal contract government meetings, the most recent of which updated the risk register in relation to the use of hotel contingency across the AASC contracts held by Mears. Risk assessment of the suitability of a property for use for supported asylum seekers would normally form part of the engagement with a Local Authority on the use of a particular hotel contingency. The AASC Contract does not require service users in receipt of S98 support to be given 7 days-notice of moves and there may be times when service users need to be moved quickly, as a matter of urgency. In all cases relating to the moves in Glasgow, Mears have confirmed that the moves were discussed with service users in advance which included discussing requirements, assistance with packing belongings and arranging transport.

Cybercrime

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has made additional resources available to the police to help tackle online crime during the covid-19 outbreak.

James Brokenshire: The Government is determined to prevent criminals from taking advantage of people spending more time online during the current period of public health restrictions. To support police forces, £84 million of the Police Uplift grant has been reallocated specifically for COVID-19 expenses and recruitment. We continue to work closely with the sector to monitor any additional pressures. We recently launched a gov.uk page on coronavirus-related fraud and cybercrime. The page includes easy-to-follow steps for people to better protect themselves and signposts other relevant advice and tips.It can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-fraud-and-cyber-crime. We have continued to work across the online threats to boost funding to tackle online crime. For example, the Government in September 2019 announced an additional £30m funding for this financial year to ensure offenders are no longer able to hide in the shadows on the dark web and prey on our society’s most vulnerable while they are at home. Police forces continue to assess threats, the impact of COVID-19, and deploy resources accordingly including on online crimes. The National Crime Agency, the lead on tackling the online threat of child sexual abuse, has already disseminated over 1,000 cases to policing and continues to prioritise safeguarding children during these difficult times. We have also launched guidance for parents and carers to keep children safe online during the coronavirus pandemic, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-keeping-children-safe-online.

Firearms: Licensing

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Office, how many UK companies have a licence to supply firearms.

Kit Malthouse: Data on how many UK companies have a licence to supply firearms is not available. The Home Office publishes statistics on the number of firearm dealers that are registered with the police in England and Wales. The latest figures on the number of firearm dealers is available from table 6 of the ‘Firearm and Shotgun Certificates in England and Wales Statistics - Financial Year 2018/19’ publication. Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’. Statistics on Firearm Certificates on issue in Scotland are published by Police Scotland.The Police Service of Northern Ireland lists its statistical outputs on the Statistics page of its website, but there are no series that are directly comparable to those for England and Wales.

Hamas: Proscribed Organisations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of a potential increase in the activity of Hamas in the UK as a result of the economic downturn during the covid-19 outbreak.

James Brokenshire: We do not comment on intelligence matters.

Hezbollah: Proscribed Organisations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of a potential increase in the activity of Hezbollah in the UK as a result of the economic downturn during the covid-19 outbreak.

James Brokenshire: We do not comment on intelligence matters.

Travel: Coronavirus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to implement the 14 day quarantine for people arriving into the UK.

Kevin Foster: On 22 May, the Home Secretary announced the details of new measures at the UK border to guard against a second wave of coronavirus infections, including the requirement for arrivals to the UK to self-isolate for 14 days. The arrangements are due to come into effect on 8 June. As the UK moves to a situation where domestic transmission is much lower, imported cases may become a higher proportion of the overall number of infections. The requirement to self-isolate will reduce the risk of transmission from this group.

Cabinet Office

Vulnerable Adults: Coronavirus

Martyn Day: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how his Department is engaging and co-ordinating policy with other Government departments to ensure that (a) co-ordinated, (b) holistic and (c) person-centred support is provided to (i) shielded and (ii) non-shielded vulnerable people affected by the covid-19 outbreak.

Penny Mordaunt: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to PQ 41549 on 6 May 2020.

Treasury

Mortgages: Coronavirus

Nick Fletcher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will extend the mortgage holiday beyond September 2020 for people who have been made redundant as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

John Glen: On 22 May we announced that lenders will continue to show forbearance to borrowers that need it, this includes giving them the option to apply for a mortgage payment holiday up until the 31 October, in line with the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). We are continuing to work closely with lenders and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to ensure that people are supported during these challenging times, especially if they are facing financial distress. Lenders are continuing to show forbearance as required, working together with borrowers to establish how they can best affordably and gradually get back on track. Customers who are concerned about their current financial situation should get in touch with their lender at the earliest possible opportunity.

Financial Services: UK Relations With EU

Nickie Aiken: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress the (a) UK and (b) EU has made in concluding equivalence assessments for financial services by the June 2020 deadline set out in the Political Declaration on the future relationship with the EU.

John Glen: Equivalence assessments are unilateral processes and thus not part of the ongoing negotiations on the future UK/EU partnership. The UK and EU are currently conducting their own assessments in line with their internal processes, and collecting information from the corresponding authorities.

Financial Services

Nickie Aiken: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions have taken place  between UK and EU regulators on progressing the equivalence assessments for financial services by the June 2020 deadline set out in the Political Declaration on the future relationship with the EU.

John Glen: Equivalence assessments are made unilaterally by both the European Commission and Her Majesty’s Government. HM Treasury have engaged constructively and are working with our UK regulators to support HM Treasury’s ongoing equivalence assessments of the EU.

Financial Services: UK Relations With EU

Nickie Aiken: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress has been made on agreeing supervisory co-operation agreements on future trade in financial services with the EU.

John Glen: The UK and the EU have a common interest in an enduring relationship on financial services that is based on mutual trust and cooperation. We have discussed our respective positions in relation to the Political Declaration and our mandates.

Debts: China

John Spellar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2020 to Question 13414 on Debts: China,  whether his Department has made a revised assessment of that risk level since the answer was given.

John Glen: Recent data suggests that Chinese debt increased further in the first quarter of 2020, as the Covid-19 shock is pushing public and private borrowing even higher.Several institutions, including the International Monetary Fund, raised concerns prior to the Covid-19 outbreak on the risks high levels of Chinese debt could pose to global financial stability. The Covid-19 shock is likely to exacerbate these risks.In its interim Financial Stability Report published on 7 May 2020, the Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee found that major UK banks should remain resilient to the Covid-19 shock to both UK and global economies, including China. HMT will continue to work alongside both the Bank of England and global institutions in monitoring the risks posed by Chinese indebtedness.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Disinformation: Coronavirus

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding from the public purse the Government has allocated to preventing the spread of misinformation on covid-19 since 1 March 2020.

Caroline Dinenage: Government takes the issue of disinformation very seriously. The DCMS-led Cross-Whitehall Counter Disinformation Unit (CDU) was stood up on 5 March 2020, bringing together cross-government monitoring and analysis capabilities from DCMS, the Home Office, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Cabinet Office. In response to the current situation, we have trebled the size of the coordination team at DCMS. CDU capability is resourced full time through existing cross-government teams. Addressing the challenges of disinformation and misinformation is a whole of government effort and we are working around the clock with Whitehall departments, the social media platforms, and disinformation specialists in academia and civil society to lead the fight against misinformation and disinformation.

Disinformation: Coronavirus

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he plans to take steps to obtain an independent assessment of the performance of technology companies in tackling the spread of disinformation on covid-19.

Caroline Dinenage: The Government has seen positive steps taken by social media platforms to curtail the spread of harmful and misleading narratives related to Covid-19. Major platforms have updated their terms of service and made technical changes to their products in order to reduce the impact of harmful misinformation. This includes measures to ensure users see accurate information on Covid-19, including links to NHS and other authoritative sources. The Government continues to work closely with platforms to help them identify and take action to remove dangerous, incorrect claims about the virus, and suspend the accounts of people who wilfully post and share it. While there has been positive engagement so far, we want the platforms to continue to take further steps to address misinformation and disinformation relating to Covid-19 on their systems.

Festival of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Jonathan Gullis: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans his Department has to hold the Festival of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 2022.

Caroline Dinenage: The Department remains committed to delivering Festival 2022 which will showcase the UK’s unique strengths in creativity and innovation, and celebrate our place in the world in the 21st century. The Festival is currently in its development phase and Martin Green (Chief Creative Officer) is leading work collaboratively with the devolved administrations. We expect Festival 2022 will offer opportunities for research, strategic and development work through the commissioning phase later this year.